Moller-Little to celebrate 100th birthday

LeAnna Moller-Little has survived two world wars, the Great Depression, the sinking of the Titanic, 9/11 and a number of other large-scale events.

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By Jenae PaulsStaff Writer

McPhersonSentinel - McPherson, KS

By Jenae PaulsStaff Writer

Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Updated Mar 15, 2013 at 10:50 AM

By Jenae PaulsStaff Writer

Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Updated Mar 15, 2013 at 10:50 AM

LeAnna Moller-Little has survived two world wars, the Great Depression, the sinking of the Titanic, 9/11 and a number of other large-scale events.

She has also lived through the passing of her father, some of her sisters and three husbands.

Through it all, she said the world hasn’t changed a lot for her in the last 100 years.

“It seems like people are still going to work and getting jobs,” she said.

Working has been the one constant thing for Moller-Little. She grew up in McPherson and began working for a resident on Walnut Street when she was an early teen following her father’s death. She did this to support her mother and four sisters.

“She was very good to me,” she said. “I helped my mother out quite a bit.”

Afterward, she lived in other cities and worked in a number of stores.

“I didn’t have time to have hobbies,” she said. “I had to work all of the time. I’ve always enjoyed working. I’ve worked all my life.”

But this didn't mean she didn’t have time for family. She has a handful of nieces and nephews who still call and visit from time to time.

“They’re all very smart, and they call me quite a lot,” she said. “They’re all very nice to me and come see me when they can.”

Niece George Ann Fisher of Missouri speaks very fondly of her aunt and said she was always a good housekeeper.

“Although she never had children, she always considers her nieces and nephews to be very important in her life, and we all knew of her love, care and concern for each of us,” she said. “We admired her ability to overcome tragedy and adversity in her life and to always maintain a happy and fun-loving attitude.”

She also had three husbands, all of which passed away from illnesses. Her hyphenated last time combines the names of her second and third husbands. Because she had been known as a Moller for so long, when she became a Little, she wanted to keep it.

As she looks forward to her 100th birthday on March 26, Moller-Little can still get around in her wheel chair at the Cedars Nursing Facility by herself.

“I just thank the good Lord,” she said. “He has helped me and he still helps me every day.”

However, she said she doesn’t think about being a century old too often.

“I didn’t know I was getting so old,” she said. “I take it one day at a time.”